Associated parks:
None
I got off work at around 2 o'clock and one of my friends and I made some plans to head down to Louisville to begin our coaster season. I live in Northern Kentucky so there was a good 1:30 drive down, but I didn't mind.
We arrived at the park at 4:00 and were greeted with a very empty parking lot. First we went and got our seasons passes processed. Kentucky Kingdom showed me that nothing has changed since last year. My name is John, however, according to my seasons pass it is Jhon (I KNOW I put down my name correctly). I didn't care that much, I just found it amusing esp. when you lump that together with the picture that can not be recognized at all.
After that (which I must add took no time at all), we headed back to the coasters. Opening the season for me was Thunder Run. I did not get a chance to ride it my one other trip, because it was broken down. I had heard so many mixed reactions about the ride. Many on this site have said in the past that they love it, but I hear the constant complaints from my friend saying how bad it is. After a 10 minute wait, my season began. I got off with absolutely no opinion of it at all. The ride just didn't do anything for me. There was a very limited amount of air time, and there were really no redeeming qualities.
Next on our agenda was Twisted Twins? That's right, for some odd reason the ride is no longer called Twisted Sisters, it is now called Twisted Twins. I was happy because the side I didn't ride last year was open today. The walk-on helped make the ride more pleasant. I really think this could be a good to great ride if SFKK would have done some things differently:
1) Duel it. That is what it was made for.
2) The setting is horrible you are riding and all the sudden you are looking out at some older unattractive buildings.
After Twisted Twins we headed T2. While watching it run during our 15 minute wait I began thinking that it looked awfully smooth. From the station I didn't notice any jerky points. Looks can be deceiving. This thing was very bumpy and lived up to the SLC tradition.
Now it was time for the pride of Kentucky Kingdom, Chang. We were greeted with a walk on back-row. After a very powerful ride on this beast, we went back around for a front-seat ride. I must commend the ride-ops here. They moved much more quickly than other SFKK ride-ops and tried to make us pumped up to ride. It didn't work, but I do commend their efforts. Chang remains my favorite stand-up and among my top 10 over-all.
Total: 5 rides + season pass processing in 2 hours.
This trip can be summed up in 6 words: Good trip in a bad park.
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Medusa rears it's ugly head. A monster coaster unlike the world has ever seen. Your strapped to a flying chair, 14 stories in the air! Just don't look down, you can turn to stone! Only at Six Flags Great Adventure! Buy one season ticket admission get one
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Wild Thing: 75Laps! Power Tower: 73 Rides. Valleyair Security 2002! 8Years Working at Valleyfair :)!
If you pick a good day at SFKK I think 1 day is way over the needed time. If you can make it there at open, you should ride everything and get some rerides by no later than 3 or 4. That is just a guess on my part as all my stays are: ride what I want and leave. For the most part they do not have a large or good selection of flat rides, so you basically have 6 roller coasters and Helevator.
Bottom line: Half a day here is all that is needed, anything else seems like too much. Just go in not expecting to have the greatest time, or you very well might be disappointed.
I went on opening day too and was VERY disappointed by Thunder Run. A few seasons ago it was my favorite wooden coaster in the world. But after so many seasons of constant complaining, probably from enthusiasts at CoasterCon 23, the ride has become very wimpy.
IndyPat: The Rainbow was indeed down the whole time I was there. As was Quake.
Shorty,
Thunder Run has never been that great of a ride in the back. To really experience the optimum air (negative G's) you have to ride it in the front. It's always had killer air in the front and I will be very disappointed if it still doesn't deliver in the front. When you go back, ride in the front and let us know if the air is still terrific in that part of the train.
Take it easy,
DAC
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